Poker and Bipolar Disease
I’m not bipolar, but poker makes me feel that way sometimes. Some days I’m on top of the world. I make all the right moves and get paid off. I win tournaments, Sit ‘N Goes, cash games, whatever. I am the king of the card room and no one can touch me.
Other days, I make unexploitable shoves and great calls only to get drawn out on. My pocket pair never holds against two over cards and my AK seems to be a magnet for 269 flops.
You went all in with 85s versus my Aces? Don’t worry. You’re good sir.
Soon I’m on tilt and it’s like I don’t even know how to play poker.
If you’re not a poker player, you don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. I can’t think of any other aspect of life where someone can feel like a god one day and an insect the next.
Poker players are a special breed. Winning never feels as good as losing feels bad. Sometimes we feel like quitting our jobs and playing full time and other times we feel like smashing our computer with an aluminum bat before running head-first into a brick wall. Yet we keep playing.
I had a bad day today. I didn’t catch any cards and when I did, they didn’t hold. My losses were small compared to my bankroll, but psychologically it feels like I lost a third of my money.
I have a lot of respect for all the grinders out there who can play day in and day out and take beats with stride. I’m not there yet.
I will, however, keep playing. Through the pain, through the frustration; I know my next upswing is right around the corner.
Sit ‘N Goes: The Filler Game
I used to be a big Sit ‘N Go player but recently I realized that I make a better hourly rate when I’m playing cash or multi-table tournaments. A few people have questioned my decision to include SNGs in my poker routine since it doesn’t make sense to spend my time playing a game that isn’t maximizing my hourly rate. My response is that SNGs make a great filler game. Let me explain.
Both cash and tournaments are time intensive. I have to block out 3 to 5 hours when I plan on playing multi-table tournaments for obvious reasons and it usually takes me about half an hour to an hour to select a good cash table (gotta make sure I get one full of fish). But Sit ‘N Goes are easy. All I have to do is fire them up and I’m ready to go.
Of course, there are a few SNG regulars that I’d rather avoid, but they’re usually easy to spot since they sign up for several tables at once.
The other great thing about SNGs is that it’s easy to play a winning strategy. There’s very little post-flop play and your edge comes from making +EV shoves and calls. Personally, I think the simplicity of SNG strategy is part of the problem since a lot more players are getting wise to the Independent Chip Model.
Finally, one of the big reasons I’m keeping SNGs in my poker plan is because I can multi-table the bejesus out of them. I can only play about 2 cash games at a time (’cause I have to pay attention to the people I’m targeting) and I can only play about 3 or 4 multi-table tournaments at a time (’cause that’s about the most that run at once on Bodog), but I can play 10 or 12 SNGs in one sitting. It’s super sweet.
If you haven’t played SNGs yet, give them a try. They’re quick games and they’ll improve your multi-table tournament play especially at the final table.
For more information about winning SNGs, see these articles:
2010 Goals
So 2009 is over and I crushed my original goal of turning $100 into $1,000 but came up a little short of my amended goal of turning $100 into $5,000. My bankroll now is around $4,100 which doesn’t include some poker coaching I had and cash outs that totaled $450.
I originally started this blog to keep myself accountable and play lots of poker and while I have played more than in the past, it still isn’t enough. I wanted to push myself more, so I’ve made some ambitious goals for 2010 and I think you guys are going to like them (at least, the ones that will benefit you directly). Here they are with timelines:
Start a Free Newsletter with a Weekly Video
I know I mentioned this a couple months back, but I’m very close to making it a reality now. I already set up an account with a reputable mailing list service and delivery system for the videos (which tend to be large files). I should be ready to pull the trigger next week. If you want to be notified as soon as it’s ready just subscribe to my RSS feed or follow me on Twitter.
Build an Online Poker Chip Store
I had one of these back in 2004, but I honestly didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I’m much more web and business savvy now and believe I can make this work. I’ve already located a terrific supplier that will allow me to offer awesome clay and composite chips as well as kick ass poker sets and cards. I’ll even be able to do custom designs and hot stamping.
Best of all, I’m working on a way that you guys can get some great sets for free just by signing up to certain poker rooms and tooling on donks. The site is TournamentPokerChips.com and it should be ready by the end of January.
Start Coaching
I’ve been coaching my wife and she’s winning for the first time ever at low stakes. I want to get serious about coaching some of you as well. I’ll probably do a few pro-bono cases first to establish some results before I start charging. I also want to make this offer:
If you’re not getting rakeback right now, click this link and then click the ‘Submit Existing Account’ button. [doesn't work for Full Tilt] You’ll get the highest rakeback possible and I’ll be notified of your sign-up email address. You can then email me a hand history at any time (cockyfish@justplaypoker.net) and I’ll email you back with an evaluation of the hand. No charge.
Of course, I reserve the right to cut this offer off if too many people sign up. I’m only one guy after all. This offer is good effective immediately. I’ll make a note on this post when I’m ready to end it.
Post Every Day in January and At Least Twice a Week Thereafter
This one’s important to me. I’ve met a lot of great people with this blog and talking strategy has definitely improved my game. I think my poker buddies would say the same so I want JustPlayPoker.net to be a more active site.
I also think frequent posting will force me to think of other things to write instead of the usual strategy articles (which I’ll still do). I really want to push myself in 2010 and I think this is a good step. It’ll also force me to play more to get more stuff to talk about and I’m gonna need to play a lot to meet my next goal.
Increase My Bankroll to $25,000 by the End Of 2010
My work schedule and side projects mean I can’t play every day, but I’ve set a minimum weekly goal of the following:
- 15 Multi-table tournaments
- 40 Sit ‘N Goes
- 1000 cash hands
That goal is very doable for me, but it also means that I’ll have to move up in limits aggressively if I’m going to make my $25k goal.
So what do you think? Is there anything else you’d like to see from JustPlayPoker.net? What are your goals? Write them in the comments and let’s all have one hell of a 2010!
Top 10 Signs You’re Addicted To Poker
•1. You’ve referred to someone by their screen name in a conversation even though you knew their real name.
•2. You have more money in your poker accounts than in your bank accounts.
•3. Your computer monitor is bigger than your TV screen.
•4. You’ve made at least one major purchase with Full Tilt Points.
•5. You read that last sentence and thought, “I’d never use my Full Tilt Points because it comes out of my rakeback.”
•6. You’ve ever tried to explain why poker isn’t gambling to a non-player.
•7. You take your laptop into the bathroom with you.
•8. You would consider playing poker while having sex a threesome.
•9. The only congressman you can name is Barney Frank.
•10. The phrase, “That donk stuck it in over my 3-bet with a suited Dolly Parton from out of position and cracked my bullets when his runner-runner came on the river. FML!” makes perfect sense to you.
Twitter Poker Tour Puts A Bad Beat On Cancer
A bad beat on cancer? I think any “beat” on cancer is a good beat, but the bad beat name works. After all, a bad beat is when a player wins even though the odds are against it. For many cancer sufferers, that’s exactly the kind of win they’re praying for.
Cancer runs in my family. My grandfather beat pancreatic cancer and my aunt is fighting to beat a rare form of cancer even though she’s in the fourth stage and the doctors say that all she can do is make the most of the time she has left.
But that’s what a bad beat is, isn’t it? It’s the runner-runner flush to take down your opponent’s aces. It’s hitting the perfect card on the river to make quads when you’re on the losing end of a set-over-set situation. It’s pulling through and beating a deadly disease when everyone else says it’s hopeless.
On November 15th, the Twitter Poker Tour is running a tournament to raise money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation to help fund research and awareness for cancer prevention. It’s a worthy cause and everyone is invited to participate.
I have to work and won’t be able to play, but I still registered so my donation can make a difference. It’s a great cause and it’s worth registering even if you can’t make the game.
Those of you who can make the game are in for a treat. Not only will you get to play the best poker players on Twitter, you’ll also get to play some of the best poker players in the world.
Poker superstars like Andy Bloch and Rafe Furst are already registered as well as several other Full Tilt pros. The tournament ID is 113220604 and the password is TPTFORBBOC. Where else can you play professional players for $10?
Tell everyone you know. Tweet it, Facebook it and post about it in forums. This is our chance to make a difference doing what we love and isn’t that what life is all about?
Visit the Twitter Poker Tour website for more information.
